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Argentine grandmother finds stolen grandson after 36 years

Estela de Carlotto is the president of Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo (Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo), an association that seeks to reunite babies stolen during the military regime (1976-1983) with their biological parents or relatives. PHOTO: AFP

From 1976-1983, 500 children were taken away from their families during the dictatorship in Argentina.

One Argentina grandmother, Estela Carlotto, never gave up hope that she would one day find her stolen grandson.

Yesterday, she did.

Carlotto, 83, finally found her grandson 36 years after he was snatched from his mother.

DNA tests confirmed the identity of the 36-year-old man, who had come forward to a national commission that identifies missing people.

“I thank all of you, God and life, because I didn’t want to die without hugging him,” Carlotto said with a broad smile at her organization’s headquarters, surrounded by her colleagues, three surviving children, 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

PHOTO: AFP

Carlotto is the leader of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo group, who have led a nationwide effort to reunite the 500 children who were taken from leftists and government opponents during the dictatorship.

Carlotto's grandson was taken away from his mother, Laura, after she gave birth while detained during the dictatorship’s “dirty war” against leftists.

Laura was killed two months after he was born.

Many stolen children were raised by military and police officials.

Others were even taken in by their parents’ killers. An estimated 30,000 people were killed or abducted and presumed killed during the dictatorship.